Self priming pump for automatic laundering machines



Oct. 8, 1957 P. E. GELDHOF 2,808,783

SELF PRIMING PUMP FOR AUTOMATIC LAUNDERING MACHINES origlnal Filed April so, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .[UVEHLUi Oct. 8, 1957 P. E. GELDHOF SELF PRIMING PUMP FOR AUTOMATIC LAUNDERING MACHINES Origmal Filed April 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 I'll 5111111511 "'1 fitts Oct. 8, 1957 P. E. GELDHOF SELF PRIMING PUMP FOR AUTOMATIC LAUNDERING MACHINES Original Filed April so, 1948 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fit 5 nited States SELF PRIMING PUMP FOR AUTOMATIC LAUNDERING MACHINES Peter Eduard Geldhof, St. Joseph, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Whirlpool-Seeger Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Claims. (Cl. 103-103) My invention relates to an improved self priming pump structure for automatic clothes washing, rinsing and drying machines, and is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 24,184, filed April 30, 1948, and entitled Automatic Laundering Machine and Pump Therefor, and now Patent No. 2,660,043.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved self priming pumping means for an automatic laundering machine of a type utilized to pump sudsy water back from a storage container to the washing machine tub for reuse.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved self priming suds pump for an automatic washing machine which serves as a conduit for the flow of water to a suds storage container, and as a pump in the opposite direction of the flow of water and has a priming chamber as a part thereof, maintained with priming liquid when the pump acts as a conduit.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a novel and improved form of self priming pump in which the inlet for the pump forms a storage container for washing fluid for priming the pump.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings whereatent O Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of an automatic laundering machine with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in section, and showing the pump of my invention in association therewith;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the pump shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary exploded cross sectional view of the pump shown in Figure 1 and illustrating the order of assembly of the parts of the pump;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the pump shown in Figure 1 taken substantially along line IV-IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line V-V of Figure 2.

The laundering machine shown in the drawings comprises a tub T which defines a clothes laundering chamber and is supported by a support structure S. The support structure S is covered in its rear portion by a shroud 20 which extends upwardly behind the tub T to enclose the operating structures extending up to the top of the unit. The outer covering of the support S snugly fits the tub T to form a sanitary and attractive shape as will be evident from the figure. The shroud and the portions of the tub and the support structure exposed to view are given a coating of vitreous enamel or similar material to present an attractive and readily washed surface.

The tub contains a cylindrical inner rotatably mounted clothes container or basket 22 (Figure 1) together with an agitator 24 mounted concentrically therewith on a vertical oscillatable shaft 23 for oscillating motions during clothes washing and rinsing. An upper housing structure 26 is attached to the upper periphery of a cylindrical "ice 2 outer tub structure 28 (Figure 1) and is of a generally annular shape with an inner downwardly extending throat portion 30 to guide clothes or other objects into the basket 22. A circular cover or cap 32 fits on the upper portion of the structure 26 and is provided with a handle 33 to facilitate removal thereof, to place clothes in themachine or to remove the same therefrom.

The support structure S (Figure 1) sustains the tub portion T in position and, in addition, contains the mechanical drive elements for the basket 22 and the agitator 24 contained therein. Moreover, the pumps and other mechanism required to achieve the fluid flow incident to the operation of the machine are mounted within the support structure S. This structure further includes a horizontal plate 34 (Figure 1), which forms a support for the tub and also extends backwardly and forms a mounting plate upon which certain control switch and valves may be mounted.

The agitator 24 is shown as being mounted on the upper end of the upright shaft 23 and as being oscillatably driven thereby through the usual reciprocating drive mechanism contained in a casing 36 mounted in the support structure S. The reciprocating drive mechanism is driven from a suitable motor (not shown) driving a belt 37 having drive connection with the reciprocating drive mechanism like that shown in my joint patent with Luther Ringer No. 2,521,159 and entitled Automatic Washing Rinsing and Drying Machine so not herein described further. A selective drive connection is provided to oscillate the agitator 24 and spin the basket 22 through a suitable clutch (not shown) operated by a clutch yoke 39. The yoke 39 is operable to shift the clutch controlling oscillatable movement of the agitator 24 and spinning of the basket 22 in the manner shown and described in my joint patent with Luther Ringer No. 2,610,498 and entitled Laundering Machine and no part of my present invention, so not shown or described further herein.

The tub T is shown as being provided with a sump 39 into which the washing fluid drains. The sump 39 is connected with a pump 40, herein shown as being a well known form of centrifugal pump, through a hose connection or pipe 48. The pump 40 is selectively driven from the belt 37 in the manner clearly shown and described in my parent application, Serial No. 24,184 so not herein shown or described further.

The pump 40 withdrawing water from the tub T through the sump 39 has an outlet 41 connected to an outlet 42 of a suds pump 43, by means of a hose 44. The suds pump 43 in turn has an inlet 45 connected with a 2 way valve 46 by means of an upwardly inclined hose 47. When withdrawing water from the tub T the suds pump 43 forms a conduit and the pump 40 pumps water through the outlet and inlet of the pump 43 either to drain through a connection 49 of the two way valve 46 or to a suds storage container, such as a laundry tub, through a fluid connection 50 of the two way valve 46. The suds pump 43 functions to Withdraw fluid from the storage container or laundry tub and pumps water through its outlet 42 through the hose connector 44, outlet 41 and pump 40 upwardly into the tub through the pipe 48 and sump 39. The two way valve 46 is shown as being a solenoid operated valve such as is commonly used in laundry machines, and no part of my present invention so not herein shown or described in detail.

Referring now in particular to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 and the novel form of self priming suds pump of my'invention, the pump includes generally an impeller 51,"journaled for rotation within a housing 52, and shown as being press fitted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 53. The housing 52 has an elongated upright bearing sleeve 54, shown as being formed integrally therewith and having spaced bearings 55, 55 carried therein and forming bearasosyss ings for the vertical shaft 53. The bearings 55, 55 are herein shown as being sleeve type bearings and may be of a composition bronze or any other suitable bearing material. A pulley 9 is shown as being suitably secured to the uppe'rendof the shaft 53 fordriving the same from thebelt 37 as shown and described in my parent application Serial No. 24,184 so not herein shown or described further. Y

A resilient sleeve 69 which may be made from rubber an elastomer or the like, bottoms against an inner sleeve portion 61'of the impeller 51 at one end and against a graphite block 63 at its opposite end. The sleeve 6t? serves to counteract the tendency of the impeller 51 and shaft 53 to move upwardly along the housing and thus acts with the weight of said impeller and housing to bias the pulley 59 against the upper end of the upper sleeve bearing 55, and to sustain the complete unit in the required axial position relative to the integral upright bearing support sleeve 54 and interior of the housing 52.. The resilient sleeve 60 also biases the graphite block 63 into engagement with the lower end of the bearing sleeve 55 and a shoulder 64 of the bearing support sleeve 54, to provide an effective water seal to prevent water from getting into the bearing 55 and working its way upwardly along the shaft 53. It should here be noted that the sleeve 60 is under endwise compression and thus bulges outwardly in its middle to resiliently bias the graphite block 63 against the end of the bearing sleeve 55.

The pump housing 52 may be of :1 died cast construction and is shown as having a peripheral flange 65 with a plurality of threaded openings to receive machine screws 66 securing a lower storage and priming bowl or chamber 67 thereto.

The bowl 67 may be of a drawn metal construction, having an upper marginal flange portion 69 with openings adapted to register with the threaded openings in the flange 65 and with corresponding openings in a gasket 70 sandwiched between the flange 65 and the marginal flange 69, to accommodate the machine screws 66 to secure the bowl 67 to the pump housing 52 in water tight relation'with respect thereto.

A'baffle plate 71 is shown as being held against an annular bottom opening shoulder 72 of the housing 52 by themarginal flange 69 and gasket 70. This bafiie cooperates with' the interior of thehousing 52 to form a pumping chamber 73. The baflle plate 71 has an opening 74 in registry with an intake passageway orcavity 75 separated from the chamber 73 by a wall 76 of the housing. The baffle plate .71 further has an intake pipe 77 mounted thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, coaxial with the axis of rotation of the impeller 51, to a position adjacent the bottom of the bowl 67. As herein shown the intake pipe 77 has a flange or lip 79 abutting the upper surface of the battle plate 71 and a rib it rolled therein from the interior thereof when the intake pipe 77 is posit tioned on the baflie plate 71, to retain said pipe in position on said baffle plate. A bolt 81 threaded in a block 82 in the bottom of the bowl 67 is provided to afford the means for draining the bowl 67 when desired.

The intake passageway 75 leading from the intake pipe and connected with the hose connection 47, connected with the two way valve 46, passes fluid downwardly through the passageway 74 in .thebaffle plate 71 into the bowl 67, it being understood that in the arrangement shown any fluid in the pipe 47 and any fiuid which may be in the pipe (not shown) leading from the suds storage container may initially flow intothe bowl 67 by gravity. The bowl 67, however, is filled by the pump 44) each time suds is pumped to the suds storage container.

The bowl 67 into which the I fluid flows from the laundry tub through the two way valve 46 thus forms a storage chamber for a limited volume of suds. It also forms a priming chamber intowhich the pipe 77 extends and is maintained full of water by the pump 40 at all times by virtue of the fact that the bowl 67 is filled whenever the machine is drained through the two way valve 46, or suds are being stored in the laundry tub for further use.

When the pump 43 is in operation substantially all of the fluid in the bowl 67 maybe pumped therefrom by the impeller 51 drawing the fluid through the pipe 77 by the suction created by said impeller and expelling it tangentially through the outlet 42 by centrifugal action.

The bowl 67 thus affords a constant source of supply of primingfluid, resulting in an immediate pumping action by the pump impeller 51, upon rotation thereof at the required speed.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a self-priming pump, a housing having an open lower end portion and having a pumping chamber therein opening to the lower end of said housing and having a curved side wall in the general form of a scroll, and outlet leading tangentially from said wall of said pumping chamber, a vertical shaft journalled in said housing and extending within said pumping chamber, an impeller in said pumping chamber mounted on said shaft for rotation in said pumping chamber, a fluid container secured to the lower end of said housing and depending therefrom and forming a storage container for priming fluid, a batfle plate interposed between said fluid storage container and housing and forming the bottom of said pumping chamber and having an opening therein for the discharge of fluid therethrough, an inlet into said housing on the outside of said wall of said pumping chamber and opening downwardly through said opening in said baflle plate to said fluid storage container, and a pipe leading from said pumping chamber downwardly through said batfle into said fluid storage container to a position adjacent the bottom thereof and coaxial with the axis of said impeller.

2. In a self-priming pump particularly adapted for use as a suds pump for laundry machines and the like, a housing having an open lower end portion and having a pumping chamber therein opening to said lower end portion and having a curved wall in the general form of a scroll, an outlet from said pumping chamber leading tangentially from the wall thereof, a vertical shaft journalled in said housing and extending within said pumping chamber, an impeller mounted on said shaft within said pumping chamber for rotation therewith, a fluid storage container extending beneath said housing and having a baffle extending along the open lower end portion of said housing and pumping chamber and maintained in position thereon by said fluid storage container and having an opening therein for discharging fluid th erethrough, an inlet leading into said housing on the outside of said wall and opening toward said baifle for discharging fluid through said opening into said fluid storage container, said baffle having a fluid passageway leading therethrough coaxial with the center of said impeller for the admission of fluid to said pumping chamber'and having a pipe leading from said pumping chamber downwardly through said baflie into said fluid storage container, said outlet and said inlet forming fluid passageway members through said housing in the order named for the passage of fluid to said storage container for filling said storage container with suds as the fluid passes upwardly therein out through said inlet, said fluid storage container also forming a priming chamber and passageway member for the passage of fluid pumped from said inlet to said outlet by said impeller.

3. In a self-priming pump particularly adapted for automatic laundry machines, a housing having an open lower end portion and having a pumping chamber therein opening through said lower end portion and having a curved sidewall in the general form of a scroll, an outlet from said pumping chamber leading tangentially from said wall, an impeller in said pumping chamber, a vertical shaft journalled in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis and having said impeller mounted thereon, a fluid storage and priming container secured to the bottom of said housing and depending therefrom and forming a passageway member conducting fluid to said chamber, an inlet into said housing on the outside of said wall and opening to the bottom of said housing to said fluid storage and priming container, a baflie separating said fluid storage and priming container from said chamber and forming the bottom of said pumping chamber and having an opening therein for discharging fluid therethrough from said inlet and also having a fluid passageway member leading therethrough coaxial with the center of said impeller into said fluid storage container, said inlet, pumping chamber, fluid storage container and outlet forming a fluid passageway means for the withdrawal of sudsy water from the laundry maclt'ne tub, and a portion of the fluid withdrawn from said tub being stored within said pumping and storage container and supplying priming fluid for said pump.

4. In a self-priming pump, a housing having a pumping chamber therein having a curved side wall and having an open bottom, an outlet from said chamber tangential with the wall thereof, a vertical shaft journalled in said housing, an impeller mounted on said shaft in said chamber for rotation about a vertical axis, a baflie plate closing the bottom of said housing and having two spaced apertured portions, an inlet into said housing on the outer side of said curved wall and opening through the open bottom of said housing and the aperture of one of said apertured portions in said baflie plate for discharging fluid therethrough, a fluid storage and priming container secured to the bottom of said housing and maintaining said baffle plate in engagement therewith, the aperture of the other of said apertured portions having a pipe leading downwardly therefrom into said storage and priming container to a position adjacent the bottom thereof, said pumping chamber and storage and priming container forming a passageway means for said outlet through said pumping chamber, said storage container and inlet upon withdrawing of water from a storage container for suds and the like, and the level of said inlet being above the top of said storage container to maintain fluid within said storage container to substantially the level of said baflie when said pump in acting as a fluid passageway member and fluid flows into said outlet and out through said inlet, to assure a constant supply of pumping fluid to said impeller upon operation thereof to pump fluid from said inlet through said outlet.

5. In a self-priming pump particularly adapted for use as a suds pump for laundry machines and the like and serving as a conduit in one direction of flow and a pump pumping fluid in an opposite direction of flow, a housing having a pumping chamber therein having a curved side wall and generally flat top and bottom walls, an outlet from said pumping chamber leading tangentially from the side wall thereof, a vertical shaft extending within said pumping chamber, an impeller on said shaft rotatable within said pumping chamber, a fluid storage container extending downwardly from the bottom of said housing beneath the bottom wall of said pumping chamber, an inlet into said housing on the outside of said curved wall and opening through the bottom wall of said pumping chamber into said fluid storage container, and a pipe leading through the bottom wall of said pumping chamber in association with said impeller and extending down wardly into said fluid storage container and forming an inlet passageway to said pumping chamber during pumping and an outlet passageway from said pumping chamber during the time said pump serves as a conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,472,560 Grifliths et al. Oct. 30, 1923 1,584,776 Nagler Aug. 12, 1924 1,759,313 Jennings May 20, 1930 2,313,585 Rupp Mar. 9, 1943 2,427,716 Curtis Sept. 27, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 309,824 Italy July 18,1933 

